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Sustainability

Living values. Acting sustainably

As a family company, we have always felt a sense of responsibility both towards our employees and towards coffee farmers and their local environment. Over and above our basic commitment to the very broad coffee sector, we focus on specific projects in Ethiopia and Tanzania. The work we do in collaboration with the Almaz and Karlheinz Böhm foundation and the Jane Goodall Institute is very dear to our hearts.

Setting standards for coffee buyers

When it comes to buying green coffee, for decades we have consistently followed an approach that is guided by our long company history and the high quality standards that exist at Dallmayr, independent of certification schemes. By using almost exclusively high-quality arabica varieties in our range of filter coffee, we are constantly helping to improve the profit situation for those farmers who grow the crops.

As a rule, washed arabica beans are considerably more expensive than the more basic robusta varieties, which means that they generate higher profits for producers. Furthermore, we purchase most of our green coffee from countries where production is dominated by small-scale farmers. Ethiopia is an especially good example of such an economy. Generally speaking, cultivation of this kind relies on organic fertilisers only and uses very few pesticides.

Following the Common Code for the Coffee Community

Our basic attitude towards coffee-growing countries and thus the procurement of green coffee goes hand in hand with our membership in the 4C Association, which stands for the Common Code for the Coffee Community. The organisation supports a sustainable approach in the sense that it fosters fair trade.
On this basis, a code was developed for all parties in the coffee industry, containing social, ecological and commercial standards for greater sustainability in the cultivation, processing and trade of green coffee.

The voluntary code is intended to improve living conditions for producers while contributing towards environmental protection and a more efficient mode of business. Specifically, all forms of child labour are expressly rejected, while education and health care are made more accessible.

At the same time, the code encourages the ecological use of agricultural chemicals, better waste water management and greater protection of the tropical rainforest.
These guidelines apply to the entire coffee business, from small producers and plantation workers to commercial and industrial players. A group of more than 70 representatives came together to develop the code, speaking on behalf of traders, industrial companies, non-governmental organisations and trade unions. Since joining the association in 2007, we have officially supported a sustainable approach.